HISTORY:
Amoco began an intensive promotional campaign of their petroleum products in the early 1960's, following by an equally intensive marketing campaign in the 1970's which focused on how "clean" their fuel is. The marketing campaign covered television and radio plus these audio marketing products called Flexi-discs.
Flexi-discs are extremely thin and as the name implies, VERY flexible. This type of audio product was often used with magazines as a "freebie"
The major drawbacks with Flexi-discs were that care was needed in handling and they had a limited "play lifetime" - the plastic is quite soft.
This Flexi-disc is single-sided, do not try to play "Side B" as there are no grooves and your tonearm will dance all over the record!
This Flexi-disc can be played on a standard turntable but a little extra weight in the central spindle area helps as there is not much friction between the record and the turntable mat.
So, on with the description of this audio marketing product from long ago ...
AMOCO - Audio Marketing Record
Technology: Flexi-disc - single sided
Plastic colouring: Transparent Red
Size: 7"
Catalogue number: 1594
Runout matrix (stamped):
DNP 602
Year of release was the period mid 1970's ~ 1980's
Overall, the graphic design of the package has that very 70's psychedelica look to it
Cover is multi-colour printed paper with a rear diecut top left corner to provide assistance opening the cover while extracting the Flexi-disc
NO seam damage
One tear in the area of this diecut corner mentioned above, this has been nicely cellotape repaired.
Record label print is a metallic Silver colour
NO significant wear to the record labelling nor the cover front and rear print.
PRODUCT CONDITION:
The Flexidisc is in surprisingly good condition, which means that the plastic is not all crumped up (rendering it useless) and the surface & grooves appear to be clean.
I do notice one small "crinkle" which is right out in the run-out area and does not affect the product audio.
So let's give the disc a whirl and hear the message from Amoco about their clean petrol ...
Playback of both tracks is fine, not super quality but no issues with surface noise nor clicks/pops - the small dent in the run-out has NO affect on the playback.
The two videos below are from the television commercials but the songs are the same as on this audio Flexi-disc.
Both are of the pop folkish rock genre
Take a look at the freaky White clothes the couple is wearing in the second tv commercial and Wow! Amoco petrol performs miracles with that old car chassis! Incredible, must get myself some of that Amoco stuff!
Two tracks are on this Flexi-disc
Alan Johnston - Preferential Matters
Sharon Redd & Groove Myers - Where The Mind Can Breathe
To properly protect the Flexi-disc and the paper cover, both have new plastic inserts and then the whole release is sitting on a cardboard backing (to reduce bending) which is also completely sealed.
